Armpit-shield.



V. G. MILLER.

ARMPIT SHIELD.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.1. 12m.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

WITNESS: V g INVENTOR. a'Zo'w gm dim V 7 ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

VICTORIA GRACE MILLER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ARMPIT-SHIELD. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VICTORIA GRACE MIL- LER,a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the countyof Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and usefulArmpit-Shield, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

y invention relates to improvements in armpit shields, in which anon-absorbing element is associated with a covering of absorbingmaterial, and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide asimple, efiicient, sanitary armpit shield which is normally folded;second, to provide the absorbent cover with a pocket having facility toreceive and detainingly engage the nonabsorbent element; third, toprovide flaps at the sides of the pocket opening to receive theunpocketed portion of the non-absorbent element, and, fourth, to providethe cover and the non-absorbent element with similar crescent shapedfolds adapted to nest together 1 show the non-absorbent element inoperative position;

Fig. 3, is an elevation of the outer side of the pocket portion of theshield, and showing the non-concentric curves in the concaved border toform the crescent-shaped fold Fig. 4:, is a vertical cross section ofthe shield, on the line VV, in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5, is a plan view of the non-absorbent element, and showing theline produced by the juncture of its sides and indicating the place forfolding the same, and

Fig. 6, is a view of the shield in 0 erative position to shield thearmpit of the ody.

Similar numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughoutthe several news.

The non-absorbent element 1, is, preferably, made of sheet rubber,although it may Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 14, 1919.-

Application filed October 1, 1917. Serial No. 194,237.

be made of other suitable non-absorbent materials, such as waterprooffabrics, without departing from my invention. Two blank portions, likeblank 2, shown in Fig. 1, are cut from a sheet of rubber. These tworubber blank portions, 3 and 4, are matched, and their crescent-shapededges joined or united by cementitious substance, so that, thereafter,the non-absorbent element shall fold on the line produced by thejuncture mentioned. Although I show and describe the non-absorbentelement composed of two similar shaped portions united to form thedesired contour, it is understood that the same may bemolded to theprecise form obtained by the former method, in the well known manner ofmolding rubber, and without departing from my invention. Two blanks, 5and 6, are similarly cut from suitable moisture absorbing fabric, suchas cotton, linen and the like, preferably linen, and they are likewisematched, and their crescent-shaped edges joined by sewing. Twoadditional blank portions, 7 and 8, are

matched and similarly joined at their cres-' cent shaped edges. Theunited fabric blank portions 5 and 6, form the inner sides, and theunited fabric blank portions 7 and 8, form the outer sides, of a cover9, to receive and envelop the non-absorbent element. The sides thusformed are matched and sewed together by marginal sewing extendingnearly all the way around, as shown at 10, in Figs. 2 and 3, therebyforming a pocket portion 11, and flaps 12 and 13, at the pocket opening14. The sewing together of the tips 7 of the crescent-shaped fold of thecover, forms horns 15, which are designed and adapted for receiving thetips 16, of the crescent-shaped fold of the non-absorbent element,whereby the latter is detained in the cover without being attachedthereto in any manner. The crescent-shaped fold of the shield isproduced by forming the contour of the concaved borders of the portions5, 6, 7 and 8, to describe long and short nonconcentric curves, theformer being shown at 17, and the latter at 18, in Figs. 1 and 3. Theouter sides ofthe horns 15, of the crescent-shaped fold of the shieldare curved outwardly on different radii, the shorter radius beingadapted for adjustment to the armpit at the front of the arm, as shownat 19, in Figs. 1 and 3, the other horn being curved outwardly on alonger radius to conform with the curve of the under side of the arm andto adjust itself to the back region of the armpit. The curve shown at19, in Figs. 1 and 3, is especially determined and limited to providegreater fullness or depth at the front end of the shield, to protect thegarment from the moisture of the body in the region at the front of thearmpit, the fullness being shown at 20, in Figs. 1, 3 and 6. Theadvantage of the fullness in the front of the shield, is the provisionto protect the garment from the body when the arm is in natural positionat the side of the body, or is extended forwardly at an angle thereto,as is the case, in walking, lifting, or in the case of folded arms.

The armpit shield I have hereinabove described is attached to the armhole of the garment, to which it substantially conforms, the fold of theshield resting on the lower edge of the arm hole, as is particularlyshown at 21, in Fig. 4. The full portion of the shield is presented atthe front of the armpit, the flap portion dropping withinthe garment andthe pocket portion disposed in the sleeve, as shown at 22 and 23,respectively. The non-absorbent element is placed in the cover byplacing the one side portion thereof into the pocket, and placing thetips 16, into the horns 15, of the cover. This is best accomplished bypushing the tips in place by the thumbs thrust in at the corners of thepocket opening. The pocket is then shaken to bring the element to liesmoothly in the cover. The flaps are then allowed to fall and cover theunpocketed portion of the element, when the shield may be allowed toassume its normal folded position and be attached to the garment,asexplained. The element and its cover may be separately cleansed andrenovated and readily re-assembled. New parts maybe used to repair wasteincidental to wear and tear.

Having described my invention what I claim is 1. An armpit shield,consisting of a case having sides made of paired curvilinear portions ofabsorbent fabric having their concaved borders totally united to formpermanent concaved seams for holding the consolidated portions normallyfolded, the contour of the concaved borders of said portions beingformed to describe long and short nonconcentric curves and the convexed'borders thereof being formed to describe long and short non-concentriccurves adapted for producing greater area adjacent the intersection ofthe borders at the front ends of the portions, said consolidatedportions being paired and folded on their seams and having theirconvexed borders totally united on one side of the folds and partiallyunited on the opposite side thereof and thereby forming a normallyfolded pouch section, the free portions of said paired consolidatedportions forming fiap extensions of the sides of the pouch, and anormally folded memberv loosely arranged inside the case and partiallycovered by said pouch section and partially screened by said flapextensions of the pouch, said member consisting of a pair of curvilinearportions of non-absorbent material having their concaved borders totallyunited to form a seam adapted for holding the consolidated portionsnormally folded with the folds in the pouch section.

2. An. armpit shield, consisting of a case having sides made of pairedcurvilinear portions of absorbent fabric having their concaved borderstotally united to form permanent concaved seams for holding theconsolidated portions normally folded, the contour of the concavedborders of said portions being formed to: describe long and shortnon-concentric curves and the convexed borders thereof being formed todescribe long and short non-concentric curves adapted for producinggreater area adjacent the intersection of the borders at the front endsof the portions, said consolidated portions being paired and folded ontheirseams and having their convexed borders totally united on one sideof the folds and partially united on the opposite side thereof andthereby forming a normally folded pouch section, the free portions ofsaid paired consolidated portions forming flap extensionsof the sides ofthe pouch, and a normally folded member loosely arranged inside the caseand partially covered by said pouch sec tion and partially screened bysaid flap extensions of the pouch, said member consisting of a pair ofcurvilinear portions of nonabsorbent material having their concavedborders totally united to form a seam adapted for holding theconsolidated portions normally folded with the folds in the pouchsection, the contour of the concaved borders of said portions beingformed to describe long and short non-concentric curves and the convexedborders thereof being formed to describe long and short nonconcentriccurves adapted for producing greater area adjacent the intersection ofthe borders at the front ends of the portions.

VICTORIA GRACE MILLER. Witnesses:

F. E. KENNEY, MARION TIFFANY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe .Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

